telecom@ucbvax.ARPA (01/10/85)
From: Jon Solomon (the Moderator) <Telecom-Request@BBNCCA>
TELECOM Digest Wed, 9 Jan 85 18:46:29 EST Volume 4 : Issue 145
Today's Topics:
Re: Separate PIN on Pac Bell calling cards
Re: TELECOM Digest V4 #143
DeathStar prices for TouchStar features.
party lines
"attack dialing"?
Party Lines
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Date: Tue, 8 Jan 85 01:43:21 pst
From: sun!gnu@Berkeley (John Gilmore)
To: telecom@Berkeley
Subject: Re: Separate PIN on Pac Bell calling cards
I recently got a new Pacific Bell phone line and with it a PB calling
card. The brochure they send with the card is even better than the
Openline article -- it lists about 6 ways to disguise your PIN while
carrying it safely with you. Things like: Write it in your phone list
with a fictitious name and an extra 3 digits (or as an extension
number); enter it as an amount in your checkbook, or an account number
for some minor bill; etc.
Amazing.
Now if only the (ex-)Bell people building computers could get their shit
this straight...
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From: ihnp4!ihuxk!rs55611@Berkeley
Date: 8 Jan 85 13:01:53 CST (Tue)
To: ihnp4!ucbvax!telecom@Berkeley
Subject: Re: TELECOM Digest V4 #143
In addition to ONI, or Operator Number Identification, for identifying
which party is originating a toll call, there is the more recent
ANI, or Automatic Number Identification. In this scheme, the tip
party phones have a resistance to ground (actually an inductor with a DC
resistance of about 1000 ohms, when they are in the off-hook state.
After the CO detects an origination from a party line, a check is done for
the presence of this resistance, which is much lower than the normal leakage
resistances to ground. Low resistance => Tip party.
Thus, between this difference and the polarized ringer arrangements
used for party line ringing, the customer equipment must meet
different requirements than are needed for sngle-party lines.
Bob Schleicher
ihuxk!rs55611
PS ANI has been around for quite a long time.
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Date: 8 Jan 1985 08:53-PST
Subject: DeathStar prices for TouchStar features.
From: the tty of Geoffrey S. Goodfellow <Geoff@SRI-CSL.ARPA>
To: Telecom@MC
Complements of vax135!petsd!peora!jer@Berkeley, here are the TouchStar
codes from the Orlando phone book. Some of them look pretty nifty,
however, the prices are egregiously high. At a glace, it looks like
your feature code bill could quickly overtake your long distance bill
if you don't watch your usage.
*60 - block the last call you received; caller gets a recorded
message saying you have the call blocked. To deactivate, dial
*80. Cost: .50 for each group of 3 numbers, plus .10/day.
*69 - call return. Call back the last person who called you.
Rate: .25/usage.
*66 - Repeat dialing. Retry every 40 seconds for the next 30
minutes to call the last number you dialed. Rate: .25/usage.
*61 - Call selector. Gives a "special ring" for "special
people." Dial *61 plus the number; to deactivate dial *81.
Rate .25 for each list of 3 numbers, plus .05/day.
*57 - Call tracing. Records the call at the So. Bell security
office; you must call So. Bell and give them the time and date,
and they will "investigate further." Rate: $5.00/usage, or a
one time $9.00 charge + $3.00/usage.
*63 - Preferred call forwarding. Forward only the calls you want
to forward. Requires that you have the call forwarding custom
calling service. Dial *63 plus the number you want to forward.
Cost: .25/list of 3 numbers, plus .05/day. To cancel dial *83.
Other features: CALL MONITOR - displays the number of the party
calling you after the first ring on a special call monitor unit.
CALL TRACKING - enables certain businesses only to list the
numbers of incoming calls on computer equpment. For customers
who don't want this information displayed, there is a feature
called "display delete": dial *67 before making the call and the
word "private" will appear instead of the number. Non-published
numbers always display "private". No information is given on the
cost for these items.
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Date: Tue, 8-Jan-85 15:29:44 PST
From: Lauren Weinstein <vortex!lauren@RAND-UNIX.ARPA>
Subject: party lines
To: TELECOM@MC
Actually, there have LONG been ways to determine which party (at least
on 2 or 3 party circuits) are making calls. The techniques usually
involve shorting or pulsing sleeve to ground and similar techniques.
In old Automatic Electric Type 80 phones, there was a little harness
attached to the dial mechanism that would pulse to ground 1 - 3 times
depending on the party making the call. Of course, with touch-tone,
other techniques are used. It should also be noted that the technique
of having a diode to direct party line ringing is by no means
universal. Other "popular" techniques include ringing tip->ground vs.
ringing ring->ground, and (quite common) harmonic ringing -- where ringers
will only respond to particular frequency ring currents. (The above
descriptions are simplified to save space...)
--Lauren--
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Date: Wed, 9 Jan 85 7:57:47 EST
From: Carl Moore (VLD/VMB) <cmoore@Brl-Vld.ARPA>
To: telecom@Brl-Vld.ARPA
Subject: "attack dialing"?
Re:
"Second, If a store puts your number on their telephone solicitation list,
can you cure them of that by repeatedly calling them, or is that illegal
(I think that it's called attack dialing?)"
It does sound illegal (so there'd better be a good way of getting your
number off such a list). The following is excerpted from Northeastern
Maryland call guide (check for laws of other states, but don't be sur-
prised if they're pretty much the same):
"Abusive calling: It is a criminal offense under Maryland and Federal Laws
for any person to make use of telephone facilities and equipment for:
Repeated calls--If with intent to annoy, abuse, torment, harass, or em-
barrass one or more persons." (Also mentioned are anonymous calls and
obscene comments.)
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From: hou4b!dwl@Berkeley (d.w.levenson)
To: Telecom-Request@BBNCCA
Date: 8 Jan 1985 15:44 EST
Subject: Party Lines
How do Party Lines differ from individual access lines?
Incoming calls:
Party-selective ringing is done in several ways. In most of the
Bell System, there are a Tip party and a Ring party on a two-party
line. The ringer(s) in the Tip party's telephone(s) is(are)
connected between the Tip (0-volt) side of the loop and earth
ground. The ringer at the Ring party is connected between the Ring
(-48-volt) side of the loop and earth. The CO normally grounds one
side of the loop and applies ring voltage to the other. It can then
ring one party or the other by flipping the loop during ringing.
Other systems for selective party-line ringing include polarized
ringing with diodes in the phones, and frequency-selective bells,
with one party ringing at 16 Hz, one at 20, one at 23, etc.. Four
party selective ringing is obtained by combining the Ring/Tip
selection with polarized ringing.
Outgoing calls:
When the Tip party goes off hook, the telephone instrument is wired
to apply a high-impedence ground (through one of the ringer coils, I
think) to the tip side of the line, for party identification. The
Ring party does not apply a ground. Thus the CO can identify the
originating party automatically on two-party lines. I don't know of
any similar technique that works on four-party lines.
This, incidentally, is why party-line customers have phones which
are hard-wired, not modular plug-ins. It is why those customers are
not permitted by the tariff to use customer-owned and installed
equipment. It is too easy to commit toll-fraud by using an
instrument which does not provide automatic party identification.
At least one manufacturer of station equipment is now offering to
telcos a station-protector which provides ringing-selection and
party-identification using standard stations with bridged ringer
wiring. If the local telco installs one of these at the building
service entrance, the customer can then plug in any standard
telephone equipment without `harming the network'.
-Dave Levenson
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End of TELECOM Digest
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